diff --git a/src/main.cc b/src/main.cc
index 25357773..9f252c5b 100644
--- a/src/main.cc
+++ b/src/main.cc
@@ -236,9 +236,8 @@ void do_join(Context& context)
 
 void do_indent(Context& context)
 {
-    const char* spaces = "                ";
-    int width = std::min(context.options()["indentwidth"].as_int(), 16);
-    String indent(spaces, spaces + width);
+    size_t width = context.options()["indentwidth"].as_int();
+    String indent(' ', width);
 
     Editor& editor = context.editor();
     SelectionAndCapturesList sels = editor.selections();
diff --git a/src/string.hh b/src/string.hh
index e735444e..ef30195d 100644
--- a/src/string.hh
+++ b/src/string.hh
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ public:
    String(std::string content) : m_content(std::move(content)) {}
    String(const String& string) = default;
    String(String&& string) = default;
-   explicit String(char content) : m_content(std::string() + content) {}
+   explicit String(char content, size_t count = 1) : m_content(count, content) {}
    template<typename Iterator>
    String(Iterator begin, Iterator end) : m_content(begin, end) {}